Phoenix
by Zarla
Summary: My first serious Slayers fic. How did Eris clone Vrumugun in the first place? Hints of VrumugunxZangulus here.


(by "This Story came comPLETELY outta nowhere!" Zar who wrote this around 2 in da mornin or so)  
  
  
Vrumugun woke.  
  
At first he was not sure where he was. His eyes were unfocused and blurry, and everything seemed to be one color. He could not feel most of his body, only his head. It hurt.  
  
What happened? Where was he? What was he doing? He could not remember.   
  
Vrumugun forced his racing heart to slow. He enforced his sorceror's training, taking control of his raging emotions. Using that to his advantage, he closed his icy-blue eyes, breathing deep.  
  
At least, that what he thought. It didn't feel right somehow, as if he was not truly breathing.  
  
He opened his eyes and this time he could see clearly.   
  
There was some kind of liquid in front of him...he could see strands of his dull-brown hair floating around him. Was he in some kind of suspended animation? Was he underwater?  
  
He couldn't be underwater, because he would be dead by now. How was he breathing?  
  
He peered and could see what seemed to be murky, dirty glass in front of him. Not sure what to do, he pressed his hands against it. It was cold and solid, a relief from the strange weightlessness of the liquid.  
  
"What is going on..." he tried to speak, but found that words would not come. All that emerged from his throat were what seemed to be bubbles. Worried that whatever this liquid was would enter his mouth, he shut it quickly. His worry was in vain, however, as the liquid seemed to stay away from his mouth as if it were oil.  
  
If the liquid was water.  
  
What WAS this Liquid?  
  
Where WAS he?  
  
What happened?  
  
Vrumugun struggled to remember. He brushed his hand over his head, feeling a something like a gash near the nape of his neck. He deduced mentally that someone must have struck him from behind while he was not watching. This bothered him. He knew he was usually more alert then that.  
  
Who would have done such a thing?  
  
He tried to think back. He...he was planning to meet Zangulus. That was it. He was planning to meet Zangulus at a tavern to discuss their next mission together. Although the two seemed to have conflicting personalities, in truth they were good friends. Vrumugun and Zangulus were both alone in the world, with no family nor friends save for eachother. Their friendship was something that they both appreciated, because they knew people like them were generally left unnoticed by all. it was good to know that if something happened to you, someone would come to save you. That was part of the reason why their odd relationship stayed together. The other was simply because they enjoyed eachother's company. They could talk about almost anything, and Vrumugun found that Zangulus' boisterous personality helped him cheer him up, while Vrumugun helped Zangulus keep control. Vrumugun was, by nature, a reserved person, but around friends he could become lively. It was Zangulus, his only friend now, alone who had the ability to make him laugh. Zangulus always joked that he was so much "better" when he was drunk. Vrumugun did not agree, as the alchohol went swiftly to his head and he woke with a headache and no memory of what happened.  
  
That was another thing that bothered him. He didn't like having this mystery hanging around him. He liked to know what happened when it happened. This was bothering him because he didn't understand, and he wanted to understand everything.  
  
If he guessed correctly, he must have been ambushed on the way to the tavern. Of course...he had not been paying attention and must have fallen prey to some bandits.  
Thinking for a moment, he then shook his head, watching his hair float idly back and forth. No...he would have sensed a gang of bandits. He couldn't have been THAT oblivious. It must have been one person...  
  
The same person who had trapped him in...wherever he was, no doubt. He brushed his fingers across his forehead, feeling smooth skin. He was relieved, fearing that there may be some kind of injury there as well. Moving upwards, he could feel the tonsure that got him attention that he usually did not want. Looking down, he found himself clad in the same robe he always wore, simple brown with a white rope belt. However, his cloak was missing. And so were his sandals. This bothered him also. This meant someone had been removing articles of his clothing while he had been asleep. He was relieved that he had not lost more, but it bothered him still.  
  
He wondered vaguely whether Zangulus knew where he was. Zangulus was the only person who knew who he was, the only one who would remotely care enough to go and look for him. He hoped whoever had captured him had left a trail available to follow. Zangulus would be able to track him...at least, he hoped he would be able to track him. Vrumugun's face took a look of worry. If Zangulus could not find him, what hope did he have?  
  
He stared at his hands, expecting them to be wrinkled from submersion for so long. Yet again, the strange liquid refused to do this as well. Thinking, he began to try and figure out a way to escape.  
  
He looked upwards, but fond some kind of black substance sealing the top of whatever he was in completly. He looked downwards and saw the same substance. Wondering what options he had, he moved towards the murky glass. Rubbing it with his hands in an effort to clear it, he finally saw something moving about.  
  
Seeing black hair, Vrumugun sighed in relief. He was safe!  
  
It wasn't until it came closer that he realized that it was not Zangulus, but instead some kind of woman. She was wearing very odd clothes and had even odder hair. Vrumugun gave her a quizzical look, but she apparently did not notice. She tapped the glass, noticing his natural reaction of backing away.  
  
"What's your name?" A voice spoke in his head. He recognized it instantly as telepathy, a common ability that most magic users learn. Wondering whether he could escape if he answered the woman's questions, he spoke using his own telepathy.  
  
"My name is Vrumugun. What do you wish of me and why do you hold me here?"  
  
"My name's Eris. You're part of my master plan, Vrumugun."  
  
"What plan? I wish to leave now." Vrumugun spoke firmly, but the woman did not seem to notice.  
  
"I need people to lure Lina and her friends to me so I can have my revenge, so I found you walking along."  
  
"I do not know who Lina is and neither does my companion, I would guess. Release me."  
  
"Don't interrupt me!" Eris said angrily, but Vrumugun only narrowed his eyes. "You're a magic user, that I can tell. And you're strong, I can tell by your mental power. You'll do fine."  
  
"I will not do anything. Let me free."  
  
"Don't feel bad, you're becoming part of something greater." She turned away and began to touch some buttons on what looked like a control panel.  
  
"Release me now. I do not wish to be part of any of your plans." Vrumugun spoke with anger, but Eris did not alter her course.  
  
"You mentioned a companion. Who is he?"  
  
"His name is Zangulus. No doubt he's looking for me. He is a mighty swordsman and will kill you if you do not release me." Vrumugun said, trying to sound intimidating. Eris did not seem notice, instead taking more interest in Zangulus.  
  
"A mighty swordsman, you say? Is he your friend?"  
  
"He is."  
  
"Do you know where he is?"  
  
"If I knew, I would not tell YOU." Vrumugun would have spat, but in his surroundings that proved to be difficult. She did not seem perturbed.  
  
"You're in no position to bargain, you know. I have you trapped. You're mine."  
  
"I belong to no one but myself." Vrumugun tried to hit the glass with his fist, but resistance from the water made it difficult. "Because I am in a cage, which, I may add, you put me in while I was incapacitated, does not make you my owner."  
  
"It will in a second." Eris said, distracted. She pushed some more buttons, and Vrumugun heard some noises from behind him. He turned as fast as possible in the water and felt something grab his arms. He was not sure whether it was metal or flesh, as he closed his eyes as soon as he felt it contact him. He was sure that he had pushed the crazy woman too far, and he would die.   
  
"I hope Zangulus avenges my death..." Vrumugun thought, his eyes clenched.  
  
He felt something like a prick near his scalp and something scraped his hand. Then whatever grabbed him released him and vanished. Surprised at living, he turned in the liquid towards Eris again.  
  
"What are you doing?" he demanded, but the woman seemed busy.  
  
"I'm going to make a kopii of you...a clone."  
  
"Why?" Vrumugun was appalled at the thought. Was that what the prick and the scrape were? To get blood and hair?  
  
"It's more useful if you could regenerate, I would think. Throw them off-track. Plus, this Vrumugun would follow my commands."  
  
"The Vrumugun will be infinitely inferior to me, you realize." Vrumugun tried to conceal his revulsion at the thought of a kopii of himself wandering around and failed. "It will not have the abilities or the knowledge I have."  
  
"I'm sure it will do fine." she dropped what looked like a clump of hair into a funnel. Vrumugun felt his head and could feel where hair had been torn out. Realizing that he had no chance of escape from this psychotic woman, he began praying with all his heart that Zangulus would come, as he always did, in a dramatic and well-timed-  
  
"Hey you!"  
  
Vrumugun looked upwards through the dark glass, seeing a familiar tall, caped figure standing tall. Black hair blew back in the wind.  
  
"Zangulus!" he tried to speak, but forgot about the liquid. All that came forth were bubbles. Eris turned angrily, surprised and shaken.  
  
"Who are YOU?" she called to the swordsman.  
  
"I am Zangu-" Zangulus jumped from his perch, did a elegant backflip, then landed on his face. Eris and Vrumugun both stared at him for a while, then he jumped back up. "lus!" he finished, as though he had never been interrupted.  
  
"You're Zangulus? Aren't you the creepy wizard over there's companion?" she pointed in Vrumugun's direction. He could feel himself burning with anger at the slur about his appearance. He hated being reminded of that. It was one of his weak-points.  
  
"Vrumugun!" Zangulus noticed his companion floating in the water and fury flashed across his face. "Did YOU put him there!?" In a flash the Demonic Howling Sword was pressed against Eris' throat, forcing her backwards. She gasped in surprise, pinned against the control panel. Vrumugun mentally cheered Zangulus on.  
  
"That is it, Zangulus...kill her and then free me!"  
  
She managed to choke out a laugh. "I guess you weren't lying, were you Vrumugun? You really do have a Zangulus who came to save you. It doesn't matter..." her fingers were searching the control panel while she spoke. "I'll clone you anyway." she slammed her hand down and machinery began to whir.  
  
"What are you doing, you little-" Zangulus' curse was cut off as Eris gave a shrieking, ear-splitting laugh. Zangulus backed away for a moment, shaking his head, but regained control.  
  
"Ha! Your friend will soon have a perfectly identical clone!" For some reason, Eris found this incredibly amusing and started laughing again, much to Zangulus and Vrumugun (who could still hear her through the glass)'s annoyance. "See, here comes the first one..."  
  
Stepping from a mist-swathed doorway that Zangulus had neglected to notice, a perfect copy of Vrumugun appeared. Vrumugun gaped in surprise and disgust.  
  
Eris flicked her finger, and something struck the Kopii Vrumugun in the forehead. Instantly, all emotion drained from the face as what appeared like a large ruby formed on the Kopii's brow. Zangulus stared in horror, then turned on Eris with renewed rage.  
  
"What have you done to my friend?!"  
  
"Your "real" friend is over there." She pointed to where Vrumugun was kept. "However, his much more efficient and obediant Kopii is right there."  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"That's a soul crystal on his head there. That lets me control him...but so far, I find it removes all emotions. Well, it's still a Vrumugun." Eris shrugged.  
  
"That's not Vrumugun." Zangulus stared the Kopii up and down. "That's some soulless demon."  
  
"Listen, Zangulus, I have a proposition-"  
  
"I refuse!" Zangulus said rashly, pressing his sword back to her neck. Eris flicked her eyes, and the Kopii Vrumugun moved forward, pressing the blade to one side. Zangulus stared at it in surprise, and tried to move it back. The Kopii pushed it away again.  
  
"Do not let it fool you, Zangulus!" Vrumugun tried to cry. "It is not real! It is not me! Kill it! Kill it quickly!" His voice could not reach his friend, however try he might, and all he could do is watch helplessly.  
  
"You couldn't kill your own friend, could you?" she said with a tone in her voice like that of a snake. "Listen, Vrumugun told me your a great swordsman. I need a great swordsmen to help me. Preferably one who knows how to deal with the Vrumuguns."  
  
"Vrumuguns?" Zangulus put emphasis on the plural. Eris laughed again, causing Zangulus to try and stab her to make the horrible noise stop. Unfortunately, the Kopii Vrumugun still would not let him pass.  
  
"Of course! I can make as many clones as I want now! An endless army of sorcerors!"  
  
"Are these as good as the real Vrumugun?" Zangulus asked, genuinely curious. Eris laughed again.  
  
"Of course!"  
  
Zangulus looked at Vrumugun, who was shaking his head frantically "No". He turned back to her.  
  
"Release Vrumugun now!"  
  
"Why should I?" she smirked. "I have the power right now. You wouldn't dare hurt your "friend". I'm the only one who can release him, and I'm the one who controls the clones as well. Taking him from me now would only prolong the inevitable, because I could just track him down again." she pressed a finger to her lips, as if in thought. "Actually, I have no use for him now since I got what I needed from him. The blood and hair. So I could kill him right now." her finger hovered a ominous looking button on the panel. Vrumugun's eyes widened, as did Zangulus'.  
  
"You can't just kill him like that!"  
  
"Sure I can." She said carelessly. "I can make as many clones as I want. What use is the original? Except..." she smirked again. "as a bargaining chip."  
  
Zangulus, realizing what she wanted, cursed under his breath and sheathed his sword. Vrumugun could see the hatred and frustration in his eyes.  
  
"Do not give yourself up for me, Zangulus. She will want you to join in her insane plans. Leave, Zangulus...leave and do not worry about me." Vrumugun whispered, although he knew that he would not be heard. "I do not matter, after all. No one knows me but you. Leave quickly, and all will forget me. Do not let her make you her servant."  
  
"You work for me." Eris walked next to the Kopii Vrumugun, which stood silently. She leaned against it, the Kopii standing as strong as a brick wall. "You know Vrumugun, so you can assist him. In return-"  
  
"You'll release Vrumugun?"  
  
"I will release him, but not now. I will release him after you bring back Lina, Gourry, and Zelgadis."  
  
Zangulus thought for a moment. "I'll look for them and find them if that's what you want, but you have to swear you'll let Vrumugun free."  
  
"No!" Vrumugun screamed silently in the liquid, releasing more bubbles. "No, Zangulus! Leave now! Leave while you can!"  
  
Zangulus turned towards him, and Vrumugun could see the pain and indecision. He desperatly shook his head and tried to gesture for the exit. Zangulus sighed, brushed the hair from his eyes, and nodded. Eris laughed.  
  
/PP ALIGN=CENTER~~~  
/PP ALIGN=LEFT  
"Eris!" Zangulus called, bursting into the mansion. His head was wrapped in a long bandage and he had blood running down his forehead. He ran to where he had last seen the lab, breaking the door down with his sword in his haste. "Eris!" he shouted in fury.  
  
"Where are you, Eris? Where are you now?" Zangulus called, limping along down the laboratory floor, staring at the strange creatures that floated around him in strange containers. "Lina and her friends have defeated Kopii Rezo and Zanaffar. Where are you? You're dream is over, everything is over. I did what you said, now give me back my Vrumugun!"  
  
There was no answer save his own voice echoing from his halls. Anger and tears shone in his eyes.  
  
"You took my friend from me, Eris!" he held the cracked and broken hilt of his sword in one hand as he continued limping. "You took my only friend and made a cruel mockery of him to take his place!" Fury grew in his voice, the echoes rebounding and reflecting over and over again. "That fake Vrumugun was nothing, nothing! An insult to me and him! You swore, Eris!" he cried again. "You swore you'd let him free when I brought you what you wanted! ERIS!"  
  
He slammed the hilt into the wall in fury, panting. His leg gave out and he collapsed in the hall, unable to walk. Tears continued flowing, tears of pain and frustration.  
  
"ERIS! Where are you! I'll kill you! I'll kill you if you don't SHOW YOURSELF!" he screamed at the silent walls, listening to his own voice come back. "Eris! Give him back! ERIIS!" Zangulus screamed one more time, his voice cracking. His voice worn out, he slumped against the pillar, gathering his strength. He brushed away his tears, laughing to himself.  
  
"Oh, Vrumugun...if only you knew what you've missed..." he said slowly, laughing. "I fought Gourry...finally, after all this time...actually more then once...but I lost." he leaned his head against the wall, staring at the blank ceiling. He laughed humourlessly. "Ha. I always thought I could win. Some great swordsmen I turned out to be. To think, I spent all that time talking about him, and now...he beat me." Zangulus tossed his sword hilt away, where it skittered across the floor. "I have nothing left...all my life, all I wanted to do was beat him...and I never could...I don't have anything. Vrumugun..." Zangulus stood again, brushing blood away from his eye and limping back to the main path. "I wonder what you've always wanted to do. I bet you never got to do it, stuck wherever that Eris kept you...Tell you what Vrumugun...we both have nothing now. Let's go and find something. Anything. You and me, okay?"  
  
Zangulus was just mumbling to himself at this point. "You're my only friend, you know. And Zangulus just does not give up on his friends. I'll search this whole laboratory until I find you, I swear. It's my fault you ended up here anyway. I never should have called that meeting. I never should have let you walk alone. It's my fault..."  
  
Broken in more ways then one after the battle, Zangulus limped on, not sure of what he was looking for. He muttered numerous unflattering things about Eris, mainly about her looks, her clothes, and her ancestory, but kept these mainly to himself.  
  
He nearly stumbled on a scroll as he limped along, but managed to catch himself. He reached down and picked it up, finding it scrawled with lines.  
  
"What is this...?" he turned it this way and that, and finally recognized the gates of the mansion. It was a map!  
  
"Hang on, Vrumugun..." Zangulus said, determinedly. "I'll find you. I promise."  
  
He continued on his way, picking up his sword hilt as he went.  
/PP ALIGN=CENTER  
~~~  
/PP ALIGN=LEFT  
Zangulus limped into a large room, familiar to him in many ways. In one corner he saw a tube containing some kind of liquid...the same tube that he had seen before. He shuffled towards it, light shining in his eyes.  
  
Floating in the liquid, as he had expected, was Vrumugun. However, he was limp and motionless and leaned against one side of the container. Zangulus cursed Eris for a thousand kinds of fool for apparently having neglected taking care of the original Vrumugun. The real one. Not sure of how to free him, Zangulus tapped on the glass in an effort to wake him and to see if he was still alive.  
  
Vrumugun opened an eye weakly, smiled, then closed it again.  
  
Zangulus, filled with sudden strength and resolve, took the sword hilt and slammed it into the glass. A crack slowly formed, then spread it's way through, branching and forking off until it covered the whole side of the container.  
  
It shattered suddenly, releasing it's forgotten burden. The liquid splashed to the floor as Zangulus released his sword hilt and instead extended his arms, catching his long lost friend.  
  
"Vrumugun? Vrumugun!" Unable to stand on his own after the weight of Vrumugun fell in his arms, Zangulus sunk to the floor, Vrumugun sprawled across his lap. His hair was plastered around his face and he looked thin and sickly. Not that he had ever been particularly strong, but now it was noticable. Zangulus took one of Vrumugun's bony hands in his own, looking down at his friend.  
  
"Vrumugun! Wake up! It's Zangulus! Wake up! You're free...free...Come on...get up and I'll buy you a drink..." Zangulus' hope, which had been rising all this time, suddenly crashed to the ground at the inert body of Vrumugun.   
  
"She killed you! She killed you!" Zangulus swore for several minutes. "I'll kill her! I'll KILL her! Oh, Vrumugun, my friend, my only friend..." Zangulus abruptly burst into tears, clutching Vrumugun's hand.  
  
"Crying...is not...like..you..."   
  
Zangulus felt a bony hand reach up and brush the tears from his face. He looked down to see, for the first time in so many months, the real eyes of Vrumugun.  
  
"You're ALIVE?! You let me make a fool of myself and you were ALIVE!?" Zangulus said angrily, but he was laughing. Vrumugun coughed and smiled.  
  
"It was...amusing..."  
  
"I'll show you amusing!"  
  
Zangulus stood up, easily carrying Vrumugun upwards with him. Vrumugun started and looked at Zangulus in surprise. Zangulus smiled at him.  
  
"You don't know how good it is to see emotion on your face again! Come on, I know where we can find an inn. You need food desperately."  
  
"Yes..." Vrumugun, the stress too much, passed out. Zangulus carried him with ease, even with his limp. Vrumugun weighed almost nothing.  
  
"Don't worry, Vrummy." Zangulus said smiling, using a nickname he hadn't used in a long time. "Eris is dead, there are no more kopii's. You can relax, because you're back with your old friend Zangulus, who always protected you. This time, I won't screw it up."  
  
"Thanks, Zangy." Zangulus looked in surprise at Vrumugun's smirking, gaunt face.  
  
"You're awake!? Why do you keep DOING that! TELL me when you're awake!"  
  
"I don't expect to be much longer." Vrumugun spoke weakly, and then again passed out. This time, however, Zangulus did not say anything, only carrying his friend out of the dark laboratory and out of his nightmare.  
  
  
The End  
  
(Boy, was that outta character or what?) 


End file.
